Self-help devie for handling socks, supporet stockings and stockings in general

ABSTRACT

Self-help device for handling socks, support stockings and stockings in general, especially designed for people with difficult or impaired mobility, which comprises two essentially tubular pieces, which have a longitudinal opening and which can be attached to one another by the introduction of one in the other, where in one of said pieces the upper part of the garment is fixed to be put on passing it through its interior and then disposing it in surrounding manner thereof, whilst the second piece is hingedly attached to pull-rods to simultaneously place both pieces progressively putting the garment on the user&#39;s foot, whose toes are from the beginning in contact with the toe of the garment as this is totally housed inside the tubular pieces previously attached to one another. The device also comprises an accessory so that the user may comfortably remove the garment from the foot, the accessory being defined by a rod on whose lower end is fixed a piece for the blocking of the open end of the garment and, in these conditions, push it downwards to remove it from the foot.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as stated in the title of this specification,relates to a self-help device for handling socks, support stockings andstockings in general, specially designed for people with difficult orimpaired mobility in the joints of their legs, hips and/or back. Morespecifically, this device has the purpose of resolving the problems thatthose people must face when putting on or taking off their socks orstockings due to suffering, for example, degenerative joint diseasessuch as arthritis, among others. In this regard, this device is alsoextremely appropriate for helping people who, having undergone surgicalinterventions or having suffered traumatic accidents, have one or bothlegs or their waist totally or partially immobilized which, obviously,hinders or prevents them from putting on and taking off stockings andsocks by themselves. It should be highlighted that their usefulness andpracticality makes it indicated for any person who, even though they arenot suffering from any of said diseases nor have undergone any surgicalinterventions, normally or occasionally uses support stockings (e.g. inthe case of varicose veins, circulatory problems, among otheraffections) and also indicated for persons with reduced mobility due toobesity, pregnancy, advanced age, etc.

In this regard, we should mention that arthritis is one of the mostfrequent rheumatic diseases and it is known, for example, in Spain that16% of people over the age of 20 suffer from it, three quarters of whichare women. Arthritis is a disease produced by the wear and tear ofcartilage, a tissue that acts as shock absorber between the ends of thebones, protecting them and favouring the movement of the joint betweenthem. As the cartilage wears, it loses its strength and elasticity,until causing a malfunctioning of the joint. In said conditions, theperson begins to suffer increasing pain and difficulties in moving theparts of their body whose joints are affected by the disease. The areasmost frequently affected by arthritis are the back, which comprises theneck, and the lumbar area, hips and knees. Arthritis in the hands andfeet usually starts after the age of 50.

Knee arthritis and back arthritis are, precisely, the affections which,among others, generate very serious daily difficulties and discomfort inpeople when they have to dress, since this involves performing importantmovements which cause strong pain in the joints. Furthermore, when thepain is relatively intense, or even worse, very strong, thecomplications increase due to the fact that these diseases depend on thehelp of another person to be able to dress and, in particular, to beable to put on stockings or socks, for which the legs must bearticulated or bent and the back arched.

Difficulties of similar importance to the aforementioned, although fordifferent motives and even when the person does not suffer joint pain,may arise for those whom, for example, have one or both legsimmobilized, temporarily or permanently, as a consequence of surgicalinterventions, traumatic or kinesiologic treatments, accidents, etc.Indeed, also in those situations, people usually need the assistance ofothers to dress and put on or take off stockings or socks. Nevertheless,again and as has already been mentioned, the usefulness and practicalityof this device makes it indicated for any healthy person who, not havingsuffered from any of said physical disorders, normally or occasionallyuses support stockings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Within the prior art numerous apparatus are known which are designed sothat people with impaired mobility can easily put on stockings and sockswithout depending on the help of other people. Among said apparatus weshould first mention those that consist of a type of plastic insole,from the end whereof two cords or veins exit which serve for pulling.One of the drawbacks of these apparatus lies in the instability of theinsole, due to the little consistency of the material in which it isproduced and the use of cords for the pulling thereof, which leads tocomplications for introducing the foot into the corresponding sock orstocking. Another drawback is that the insole must rest on the floor tooffer a consistent platform whereby the foot can be introduced, so thatthe sock comes into direct contact with the floor, which should beavoided for reasons of hygiene. In contrast, the device claimed offersthe consistency and the stability necessary to avoid it having to reston any place, it being possible to introduce the foot without it beingnecessary for the apparatus, and therefore, the sock, to touch thefloor.

There are also other apparatus which consist of a cylinder cut in half,wherefrom a rod protrudes. Although said apparatus resolves the problemof instability of the previous, it however has other drawbacks whichshould be resolved. These drawbacks are due to the fact that it has asingle bar to pull, which makes it less efficient than these apparatus.The rod is secured via a flange directly anchored to the cylinder, whichmakes said cylinder inflexible. The lack of stability of the cylindermeans that they cannot be put inside slender or especially narrow socks,therefore not being suitable, for example, for sports socks, or forsupport stockings.

Another example of prior art arises from document ES1023223U, granted inthe name of Miguel Jiménez Rosell, which discloses a device to put onsocks and/or stockings constituted by an arm on one of whose ends ahandle is incorporated, whilst on the other end said arm it is equippedwith a laterally oriented semi-annular piece, and includes an accessorypiece which can be attached by way of a dismountable gripper on saidsemi-annular piece. On said semi-annular piece is disposed the sock tobe put on from its open end, which is held by means of a gripper,disposed with the entrance open and hanging from that end of the device.In these conditions, the user can, by gripping a handle at its free end,put the open end of the sock on the foot practically without bending thebody and, pulling upwards against the push of the foot downwards, toachieve the introduction of the foot in the sock. Then, removing thegripper, now in a more accessible position, leave the sock in its onposition.

Although the device disclosed in document ES1023223U, mentioned in theprevious paragraph may apparently have certain similarities with the onewhich is now claimed, in essence they are undoubtedly different withregard to the form of disposing the sock and putting the foot therein,i.e. in its system, as is clearly revealed on describing the deviceproposed making reference to the figures that illustrate it. To advancesome of the differences, we can mention that in the device object of thepresent utility model the sock is totally introduced inside a tubularpiece, whilst in the previous the open end of the sock is caught up, therest remaining free, which has several adverse consequences. A firstconsequence is that the foot is gradually introduced within the sock byforce of pulling it, which hinders the introduction of the foot and,therefore, that apparatus is not suitable for socks which are difficultto put on, for example those that are especially narrow, for examplethose for sports use, and for those which a lot of effort is required,such as the case of support stockings. Another negative consequencelinked to the previous is that as the sock is introduced through theopen thereof and far from its toe, at the same time as hindering itsintroduction as it may not leave the sock well positioned, but withcreases, folds, etc. Furthermore, during the use of the device of saiddocument, the sock may touch and trail on the floor since it hangs fromsaid device, which should be avoided.

The device proposed resolves the drawbacks of the type disclosed indocument ES1023223U as it enables introducing the sock, from the startthe toes being in contact with the toe of the sock, which is the onlyform of it remaining totally well-positioned on the form of the foot,without, creases, folds, etc. Furthermore, since it gathers up theentire sock within a tubular piece, it avoids having to make a specialeffort or pressure upwards to introduce thicker or sports socks, alsoenabling the putting on and taking off of common stockings such assupport stockings, its use also being more hygienic as it enablesputting on and taking off socks and stockings without them touching, forexample, the surface of the floor or ground. As it has two rods for itshandling, it means that the introduction of the foot in the sock is mucheasier with a light and simple pull, keeping the control of saidoperation and avoiding the sock from twisting or deforming during thepulling up. Furthermore, since the device of the present utility modelincludes two tubular pieces, one piece attached to the pull-rods and acomplementary independent piece, unlike what happens with the device ofdocument ES1023223U, it enables its parts to be handled independently inthe sense that the sock is going to be introduced within thecomplementary tubular piece, and thus avoid having to handle the othertubular piece for this operation. In this way, the independent handlingof this complementary tubular piece adds very important advantages ofpracticality which should be indicated: it allows the sock to be put onwithout having to move the piece that incorporates the rods, somethingwhich would be more annoying, and another advantage is that due to itslittle volume and weight the sock can be placed within it in any placeand any type of surface, including the user's lap, without this takingaway stability. For the use of this device it is also envisaged that thecomplementary piece may be longer than the piece connected to the rods,which is extremely convenient for putting on long socks, stockings andsupport stockings which have a considerable length. The invention alsoprovides an additional rod, especially designed so that the user cantake off the socks or the stockings with the same ease as putting thesegarments on.

Other documents that disclose the state of the art are documentsES1028926U, from José Sáez Serbán, and ES1054677U, from Ramón MartínLópez of Lerma. The first of them, document ES1028926U, discloses a sockaid for disabled persons which is characterized in that it comprises arod in the form of a fork joined to a mould by means of rotatingfasteners, where said mould has the form of a foot, having someprotuberances so that therein, once the sock is introduced in the mould,it is fastened and the putting on operation can be performed. For itspart, document ES1054677 also claims a sock aid for disabled personswhich comprises a cylindrical housing, wherein is introduced the sock,open and fixed on folding its elastic outside thereof, which has,laterally fixed to the inner part by grippers, two parallel sticksprovided on the end of handles aimed towards the rear part by meanswhereof the tools is gripped, once the sock is mounted hanging withinthe housing, so that when on making it pass over the foot the sockslides on it and once it is put on, on pulling upwards releases it beingstretched over the leg. The housing is open generatrixically towards thefront, this opening providing a certain flexibility and adaptation tothe size of the user's leg.

With respect to these documents ES1028926U and ES1054677U the deviceobject of the present utility model has notable differences andadvantages which are worth mentioning. Indeed, this device isdifferentiated from those disclosed in said documents in matters notonly of form but of content, specifically by the form in which itenables putting on the sock, which in fact is the most importantelement. Firstly, it should be taken into account that although in allcases the purpose is to put socks on, it is not the same that the sockis simply put on the foot, to then slide in over the leg, as the sockbeing correctly positioned on the foot, which is not ensured with theaids of the aforementioned documents. Instead, the device now proposedenables the sock to be entirely gathered up without it hanging, whichdoes occur if the other aids are used, wherein the garment remains openand hanging. That means that the sock must be pulled upwards and,consequently, it is not perfectly positioned, it is much more difficultto accommodate them and furthermore, those aids cannot be used withsupport stockings and narrow socks, due to the fact that the user shouldexert a great force pulling the support stockings and slender or narrowsocks. Therefore, the function of said aids is to pull the stockings andsocks, which is a serious drawback. However, with the device that is nowclaimed the sock does not remain hanging nor is it pulled, instead thesock is completely introduced within a complementary piece especiallydeveloped so that the device effectively performs its purpose in benefitof the users for whom this device has been especially conceived anddeveloped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the purpose of resolving the drawbacks and deficiencies of the aidsknown up to present, the device object of the present utility model hasbeen developed, which, as will clearly be seen on describing it withreference to the figures which illustrate it, offers outstandingadvantages whereby people with impaired mobility, such as those whosuffer from degenerative joint diseases or for other motives havereduced capacity of movement of his/her joints, can put on and take offby themselves the socks and stockings in general, even supportstockings, with no difficulties and with such ease that this device issuitable for users of any age and strength; from a young person to anelderly person.

It is therefore an object of the present utility model to provide aself-help device for handling socks, support stockings and stockings ingeneral, especially designed for people with difficult or impairedmovement such as those who suffer from degenerative joint diseases orwho have suffered accidents whereby they have one or both legs totallyor partially immobilized which hinders or prevents them from bothputting on and taking off stockings and socks. It is also indicated forany person who, although not suffering any of said diseases, nor havingundergone a surgical intervention, normally or occasionally uses supportstockings (for example in the case of varicose veins and circulatoryproblems) or also indicated for persons with reduced mobility due toobesity, pregnancy, advanced age, etc., this apparatus being of the typeformed by a pair of pull-roads at whose end are defined handleswherefrom the user holds the device during the putting on of the socksor stockings, and whose lower end is hingedly attached to a pieceoperationally linked to the garment to put it on the user's foot andslide it on the leg thereof. This device is particularly defined by thecombination of a first and second pieces of essentially tubulargeometry, independent, complementary and can be axially attached to oneanother by the complete introduction of one into the other, where theupper part of the garment, whether a sock or a stocking, is disposed insurrounding manner outside the first piece, while the lower part of thegarment is totally housed inside the second piece as it is alreadyinserted in the first, the second piece being hingedly attached to thepull-rods to displace as a whole said first and second piecesprogressively covering the user's foot, whose toes are from the start incontact with the toe of the sock or stocking, and then the user's leg.The invention also provides an accessory to help take off the stockingsor socks, which is defined by a rod, similar to the previous, at whoselower end is disposed a piece for the blocking of the open end of thegarment and thus permit pushing it downwards towards to remove it fromthe foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Shows a perspective and partial exploded view of the self-helpdevice object of the present utility model.

FIGS. 2 to 4 Show the sequence of preparation of the device with a sockto proceed with putting it on.

FIGS. 5 to 7 Show the sequence of putting the sock on one of the user'sfeet.

FIG. 8 Shows the way in which the user can take off the sock using forthat a rod which is also object of the present utility model.

FIG. 9 Shows a perspective view of the rod illustrated in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows that this self-help device for putting on socks, supportstockings and stockings in general, comprises a first piece or supportpiece 1 of the garment to put on, sock or stocking, and a second pieceor push piece 2 to displace the piece 1 together with said garment, bothpieces 1 and 2 being of essentially tubular geometry, complementary andcan be axially attached to one another, and they have a slightly conicallongitudinal development of decreasing section from its respective lowerends 3 and 5 towards its respective upper ends 4 and 6. Furthermore,these pieces 1 and 2 have longitudinal cuts which define correspondingopenings 7 and 8 throughout the extension thereof, said openings 7 and 8being considerably large, as illustrated in this example of embodiment,to provide pieces 1 and 2 with the necessary flexibility to be able toeasily adapt to the different anatomic builds of the users and to attachone to the other. The lower end 3 of piece 1 has a perimeter rim orreinforcing flange 9, while the lower end 5 of piece 2 has a perimeterrim or push flange 10 whereon, as will be explained below, piece 1 willrest on the reinforcing flange 9 for the displacement of both pieces andthe unfolding of the sock or stocking on the foot and the leg of theuser by means of the pull-rods 11. As is illustrated, the pull-rods 11have a lower end 12 hingedly attached, by means of tags 13, to therespective pin 16 which forms part of the flange 10 of piece 2, and anupper end with respective handles 15, wherefrom the user holds thedevice to put on the socks or stockings.

When this apparatus is put into practice in accordance with an exampleof embodiment, piece 1 may have 119 millimetres of outer diameter and115 millimetres of inner diameter, 85 millimetres length, and the flange9 may have 140 millimetres diameter by 3 millimetres wide. This flangemay have, as shown in FIG. 1, a cut 17 in the centre of its longitudinalextension of 40 millimetres length, to provide it with greaterflexibility. For its part, piece 2 may have, for example, 115millimetres of outer diameter, 111 millimetres of inner diameter, 85millimetres length, and the reinforcing flange 10 a width of 12millimetres, while the pins 16 which are projected from opposite pointsof the flange 10 may be 10 millimetres with a metric thread 6, whererods 11 are threaded which will have a diameter of 10 millimetres and alength of 600 millimetres. We should mention that in the case of usingthis device to put on very long socks or stockings, piece 1 may have alength longer than that indicated, and in general both piece 1 and piece2 may be manufactured in lengths adapted to the different lengths ofsocks and stockings as is more appropriate for the comfort of the user.Preferably the material used to construct this device is Nylon.

FIG. 2 shows the form in which a sock 18 begins to be placed manually bythe user on piece 1. As can clearly be seen, the sock 18 advances on theinterior of piece 1 so that its upper part 19 is disposed in surroundingmanner outside piece 1 as the user pulls from the open end 20 of thesock 18. Then, the user completes the introduction of the sock 18 inpiece 1 until the toe 21 thereof is in sight within piece 1 in theposition which is shown in FIG. 3. Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the useraxially and completely couples pieces 1 and 2 until flange 9 restsagainst flange 10. In these conditions, the user directs his/her foottowards the interior of the assembly formed by pieces 1 and 2 untilhis/her toes come into contact with the toe 21 of the sock 18 as shownin FIG. 5 and, from there, begin to put on the sock 18 pulling from thehandles 15 of the respective pull-rods 11, as shown in FIG. 6, until thesock 18 is perfectly positioned on the foot as observed in FIG. 7, afterwhich pieces 1 and 2 are easily removed from the user's leg.

So that the user can comfortably take off the sock an accessory 22 isprovided, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, defined by a rod 23, whose lowerend has a piece 24 for the blocking of the open end 20 of the garment 18with the aim of displacing it downwards in the direction of the tip ofthe foot until totally removing it. The piece 24 comprises a reartransversal portion 25, where the lower end of the rod 23 is fixed, anda front portion 26, essentially perpendicular to said rear transversalportion 25, which has a lateral cavity 27 for the blocking of the openend of the garment and, in these conditions, push it downwards untilremoving it from the foot. The upper end of the rod 23 has a handle 28wherefrom the user comfortably holds for handling it and removing thesock or socking worn.

It is placed on record that, having described and illustrated apreferred embodiment of the self-help device object of the presentUtility model, when this device is put into practice it may have somestructural modifications with the simple purpose of adapting it to theneeds and/or requirements of the users, without this departing from theexpressly claimed characteristics.

1. Self-help device for handling socks, support stockings and stockingsin general, especially designed for people with difficult or impairedmobility such as those who suffer from degenerative joint diseases, whohave suffered accidents whereby they have one or both legs partially ortotally immobilized, or obese people, pregnant women, etc., thisapparatus being of the type formed by a pair of pull-rods in whose upperend are defined handles wherefrom the user holds the device during theputting on of the socks or the stockings, and whose lower end ishingedly attached to a piece operationally linked to the garment to putit on the user's foot and slide it on the leg thereof, the device beingcharacterized in that it comprises the combination of a first and asecond pieces of essentially tubular geometry, complementary and whichcan be axially attached to one another by introducing one in the other,where the upper part of the garment, whether a sock or a stocking, isdisposed in surrounding manner outside the first piece, while the restof the garment is totally housed inside the second piece as this isalready inserted in the first, the second piece being hingedly attachedto the pull-rods to displace together said first and second piecesprogressively covering the user's foot, whose toes are from the start incontact with the toe of the sock or stocking, and then the user's leg.2. Self-help device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in thatsaid first and second tubular pieces have a slightly conicallongitudinal development of decreasing section from the lower endtowards the upper end thereof.
 3. Self-help device in accordance withclaim 1, characterized in that said first piece has a longitudinal cutwhich defines a large opening throughout its length.
 4. Self-help devicein accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said second piece hasa longitudinal cut which defines a large opening throughout its length.5. Self-help device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in thatthe lower end of said first piece has perimeter rim or reinforcingflange.
 6. Self-help device in accordance with claim 5, characterized inthat said reinforcing flange has a cut in the centre of its longitudinalextension which favours the flexibility thereof.
 7. Self-help device inaccordance with claim 1, characterized in that the lower end of saidsecond piece has a perimeter rim or pushing flange of the first pieceand unfolding of the sock or stocking on the foot and the leg of theuser.
 8. Self-help device in accordance with claim 1 characterized inthat it includes an accessory to take off the garment placed on theuser's foot, said accessory being defined by a rod whose lower end has ablocking piece of the open end of the garment to displace it downwardsand thus remove it from the foot.
 9. Self-help device in accordance withclaim 8, characterized in that said blocking piece comprises a reartransversal portion, where the lower end of the rod is fixed, and afront portion, essentially perpendicular to said rear portion, which hasa lateral cavity for the blocking of the open end of the garment andpushing thereof to remove it from the user's foot.
 10. Self-help devicein accordance with claim 2, characterized in that said first piece has alongitudinal cut which defines a large opening throughout its length.11. Self-help device in accordance with claim 2, characterized in thatsaid second piece has a longitudinal cut which defines a large openingthroughout its length.
 12. Self-help device in accordance with claim 3,characterized in that said second piece has a longitudinal cut whichdefines a large opening throughout its length.
 13. Self-help device inaccordance with claim 2, characterized in that the lower end of saidfirst piece has a perimeter rim or reinforcing flange.
 14. Self-helpdevice in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the lower endof said first piece has a perimeter rim or reinforcing flange. 15.Self-help device in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that thelower end of said first piece has a perimeter rim or reinforcing flange.16. Self-help device in accordance with claim 2, characterized in thatsaid reinforcing flange has a cut in the centre of its longitudinalextension which favours the flexibility thereof.
 17. Self-help device inaccordance with claim 3, characterized in that said reinforcing flangehas a cut in the centre of its longitudinal extension which favours theflexibility thereof.
 18. Self-help device in accordance with claim 4,characterized in that said reinforcing flange has a cut in the centre ofits longitudinal extension which favours the flexibility thereof. 19.Self-help device in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that saidreinforcing flange has a cut in the centre of its longitudinal extensionwhich favours the flexibility thereof.
 20. Self-help device inaccordance with claim 2, characterized in that the lower end of saidsecond piece has a perimeter rim or pushing flange of the first pieceand unfolding of the sock or stocking on the foot and the leg of theuser.